Clinical Studies / Clinical Trials

[birddog254]

Gday
As Title suggests, Im considering participating in Clinical trials (for a fairly hansom compensation package)
My question is, As Pilots with a Class 1 medical, is there anything preventing me from doing this, i.e. will it jepodise my medical?

[VH-XXX]

I'd be surprise if that extra inch on your appendage would affect your medical too much. You should be paying them for that procedure!

How much and how do I get onto this scam?

[Metro man]

You don't state what sort of clinical trial, but if it involves any new drug it's not a good idea. What if you have an adverse reaction in flight ?

[birddog254]

The clinical trial involves the testing of a drug that has been formulated to treat a condition called Acromegaly.
Surely they wouldnt be doing human testing if they thought it would have an adverse affect?

[Al Fentanyl]

"they" have bugger-all ethics...... and don't call me Shirley!

Seriously, the reason you can't buy certain drugs today that passed all their clinical trials etc, is because long-term they turned out to have serious adverse effects (this occurred recently with an approved appetite suppressant). You are putting yourself in a perilous situation - if the trial drug causes an unforseen cardiac arrhythmia for example, is your payment enough to make up for the loss of your aviation medical? :(

[truthinbeer]

"Surely they wouldnt be doing human testing if they thought it would have an adverse affect?"

Surely not.:)

My belief has been this sort of thing did not pay all that well. If they are prepared to pay handsomely then I would be perhaps just a little concerned.

[Luke SkyToddler]

Surely you remember THIS (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10373070) ... was big news at least in NZ and Britain about 5 years back ...

do some image searches for the blokes in that trial and then picture yourself walking in for your Class 1 renewal ... wouldn't be a good look to be honest :hmm:

[Tinstaafl]

It's a drug *trial*. What do you think a trial is for, if not testing a drug to see what happens? If they knew all that they needed to know for the drug there wouldn't be a need for drug trials.

[Di_Vosh]

One of my mates is a director of this type of drug trial. Most of the testing is for relatively benign drugs.

Note "most". He also has a few amusing stories to tell. For some of the trials, the participants should NEVER be people who regularly operate heavy machinery in their day jobs.

A lot of these tests require the participant to remain at the hospital for up to 30 days. Typical participants are writers and musicians who need some time to "create" while being well paid to be a human guinea pig.

Birddog you should be asking this question to the people conducting the testing. Explain the requirements of your class 1 medical, as well as the DAMP requirements. If there is any doubt, then perhaps don't do it.

My 2c

DIVOSH!

[Arm out the window]

Don't ask us, ask the guys who issue your medical!